Natural History Wanderings

Parchers Resort has a new report for Bishop Creek Canyon. High elevation starting to Peak. See photos on Facebook Page 

Overall Conditions Above 8500ft Elevation
Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) What a difference a week makes! Color has exploded in the higher elevations with Lake Sabrina, North Lake and anything on the South Fork above Mt. Glen Campground. We are noticing that there is some odd transitioning happening. Where usually entire groves change together, instead we are seeing a really cool mix of yellow, orange and red simultaneously with quite a few stubborn green aspen in the mix. The color variation is gorgeous but I still consider this peak or very close to peak color as by the time those stubborn green trees turn, the others may have given up their color.  We’re certainly in the “Go Now!” zone. If the weather plays ball, the next 7 days will be excellent in the higher reaches of the canyon…hard to say beyond that.

Overall Conditions Between 7500ft & 8500ft Elevation
Patchy (10% – 50%) Quite a bit more yellow than last week but still mostly green in areas that we’ll see go off later in the autumn. I would rate this area just above 10% but barely. Some brilliant yellow patches below Mt. Glen Campground, Cardinal Village, Intake II and Mist Falls, but below those spots we’re looking at mostly green.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – Weir Pond (9650ft)Weir is about as good as its going to get this season with brilliant yellow and a bit of orange reflecting off the glass pond. The aspen along the road are still mostly green so there is still a little left to change, but this is pretty much peak photo time if you want to catch the yellow on the hillside and near the inlet.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – Sabrina Campground (9000ft) This area is hard to call because even areas close to one another change at slightly different times, but there is peak color right now in large areas along Hwy 168 and just above the campground on the North Lake Rd. Still some green within the campground itself but there is peak color surrounding it.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – Parchers Resort (9260ft) Yellow pretty much surrounds the resort on all sides with the groves above Rainbow Meadow on the old trail to South Lake taking the cake as the most brilliant. Groves below the resort in between Parchers and Willow Camp are also looking spectacular.

Near Peak (50% – 75%) – Willow Campground (9000ft) The campground is really starting to change but the canyon walls above the to the south of the beaver   pond are already exploding with color. I’m still guessing next week will be the best.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – Table Mountain Camp (8900ft) Lots of color now showing all around the campground as well as below the campground. There is still some green yet to change along the roadway but it likely won’t the best will be seen over the next 7 days tops.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – Surveyors Meadow (8975ft) This is probably the most brilliant view along South Lake road with lots of yellow and touches of orange. We’ve lost a little color from those scrub aspen that popped early, but the larger aspen are now showing brilliant color and have brought this area into the “Go Now” zone. I’d expect the next 7 days to be the window for this location to be at its best.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – Lake Sabrina (9150ft) Spectacular views at Lake Sabrina now. This may be closer to the 75% mark than the 100% mark, especially as the approach to the lake still has some ways to go, but not for long. Some rosy red, orange and yellow blanket the shoreline as well as the canyon wall near the lake’s main inlet. Breathtaking morning reflections off the lake despite the lower than normal water level.

Peak – Go Now! (75% – 100%) – North Lake (9255ftThis was an area difficult to grade as areas of the north shore of the lake, the approach to the lake, and the aspen grove near the upper parking lot are all fully peaking. Still yet to peak however are the road just past the lake (one of my favorite views), and the aspen along the west shore. It’s hard to say whether or not this area will have color all at once so I consider this a “go now” scenario as there is peak color to be had and whether it will get much better is hard to say

Near Peak (50 – 75%) – Stiny Loop above Mt. Glen Camp (8600ft) We’re getting pretty close to a peak color situation here with tons of yellow mixed in with lime green.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Mist Falls and the groves above Bishop Creek Lodge (8350ft) I almost wanted to call this patchy but alas, only a few yellow trees and some obvious lightening of the aspen at the very crest of the waterfall. This location is always photo-worthy, but not like it will be in 7 to 10 days from now.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Aspendell (8400ft) Very few signs of color here right now.

Patchy (10 – 50%)  – Groves above Cardinal Village (8550ft) This area actually lost some color over the last report as far as the yellow that was blanketing the east wall of the canyon below Cardinal Pinnacle. The aspen surrounding and below Cardinal Village are starting to lighten up considerably with some nice yellow patches in the mix. Looking for this to get really good in the next week or so.

Just Starting (0 – 10%) – Four Jeffries (8000ft) Nothing but a few yellow branches showing right now. The aspen have lightened considerably though over last week.

Patchy – (10 – 50%) – Intake II (8000ft) Much of the yellow on the canyon wall is gone, but the color is just starting to develop around the lake with bright lime greens mixed with some patchy yellow.

Just Starting – (0 – 10%) – Big Trees Campground (7800ft) Nothing but green here right now.